Ties

Today I ordered the ties for our wedding party. We using an online company called The Tie Bar. We already got Ryan's tie from them and it looks pretty good! Thanks to everyone that gave their input!

Pearson Family Bridal Shower

On Oct. 3rd Ryan's family hosted a coed bridal shower for us. Thanks to Colleen and Jill for planning and to everyone that came! We are so lucky to have a wonderful supportive family and amazing friends!

The Chauffeur ~ El Chofer

I would like to introduce to you our chauffeur.... He likes to go to the beach in a suit.

Thanks for doing this for us Jose! Please, don't crash the car!

Packing List Part 2

It's getting chilly out and I cannot wait to go home! I arrive the island of enchantment on December 13th and Ryan gets there on the 20th. So exciting! RSVPs are starting to roll in... Have you started to pack your bags???

I forgot a few things on my first "Packing List" blog. Some more thoughts:

• Shoes: Aside from a nice pair to go out and for the wedding, make sure you bring good sneakers for walking and sandals for the beach. You will see Puerto Ricans are obsessed with crocs so don't be afraid of wearing your most colorful pair. Also, if you are visiting a river I strongly recommend you get water shoes. If you don't have a pair you won't have any trouble finding a cheap one at any Walmart, Walgreens, K-mart, or any grocery store in the island. BTW, the biggest chain of grocery stores in the island is AMIGO, owned by Walmart.
• Electrical outlets/wattage is the same as the mainland, so no need to pack a converter.
• Your swimsuit! Hotels have towels and most of the vacation rentals provide them also. But I strongly recommend you double check with your vacation rental office.
• Your camera!
• By now I think that most cellphone providers work from Puerto Rico and don't charge roaming or long-distance. For sure: Sprint and AT&T work fine.
• If you have a portable GPS you should bring it. That being said, some rural roads in Puerto Rico tend not to be on them. Your invitation should have arrived with a map. Bring that with you!

Feel free to contact me if you think of anything else. You can find pretty much everything you buy in the states down in the island so don't stress too much if you forget to pack some essentials!

Food

Authentic Puerto Rican food is a blend our Spanish, African, and Indigenous heritage. You will also find a lot of Cuban influence. The aroma that wafts from kitchens throughout Puerto Rico comes from adobo and sofrito -blends of herbs and spices that give many of the native foods their distinctive taste and color. Adobo, made by crushing together peppercorns, oregano, garlic, salt, olive oil, and lime juice or vinegar, is rubbed into meats before they are roasted. Sofrito, a potpourri of onions, garlic, coriander, and peppers browned in either olive oil or land and colored with achiote (annatoo seeds), imparts the bright-yellow color to the island's rice, soups, and stews.

Make sure you try one if not all of our plantain dishes: mofongo, tostones, maduros, arañitas, etc. Rice and beans are also common staples. Some popular meat dishes are fried beefsteak with onions and roasted pork.

Street vendors are very popular. My godmother Connie jokes that you can do all your groceries without even getting out of the car. By the beach you will find vendors selling Alcapurrias, scrumtipus fritters, usually made with a batter of taro (yautia) and plantains, and are stuffed with either meat, crab, shrimp, or lobster. Puerto Rican-style arepas, which are nothing like their South American counterparts, are pastry patties made with wheat flour and deep fried until flaky, with a crunchy, bubbled surface. Bacalaitos are another very traditional Puerto Rican fritter, made with rehydrated and de-salted cod mixed in with flour batter. The best place to try all these delicious food is the 60 Kiosks of Luquillo, which are a long stretch of street vendors by the beach. This is a great stop after visiting El Yunque.

For breakfast, you must find a bakery and try the quesitos, which are twisted pastries filled with cream cheese. Mallorcas are a buttery bread grilled and sprinkled with powdered sugar, which can be eaten plain, with butter, or any combination of ham, egg, and cheese. Any kind of bread you try in Puerto Rico will be amazing. Any bakery will offer the staples: pan the agua, used to make sandwiches like the famous Cubano and pan sobao, which is a little bit sweater and softer. Finish up your breakfast with cafe con leche, a coffee beverage consisting of a strong or bold coffee (sometimes espress) mixed with scalded milk in approximately a 1:1 ratio, or a cortadito, a shot of espresso with a squirt of steamed milk. By the way, no matter the time of the day and no matter how hot it is outside, Puerto Ricans finish up their meals with a cup of coffee. For the most authentic breakfast experience visit La Bombonera in Old San Juan (259 Calle de San Francisco, 787-722-0658).

One note on Puerto Rican etiquette, as you are sitting at a restaurants, you will notice that strangers that walk past your table will say "Buen Provecho". This means good eating.

Restaurants I recommend you visit:

For Authentic Puerto Rican Food

Raices Restuarant in Old San Juan

One of our favorites.

Barrachina in Old San Juan

The birthplace of the original pina colada.

Bebo's Cafe in Cupey and Santurce

For Cuban Food

Metropol, locations in San Juan, Hato Rey, Guaynabo, and Isla Verde

Something different

Tantra in Old San Juan

Fusion of Puerto Rican and Indian food.

Wasabi in Condado

Sushi with a Puerto Rican twist!

Perurrican in Guaynabo

Fusion of Peruvian and Puerto Rican cuisine.